- Read more about Tuesday, April 4th 2017
- Log in to post comments
SEATTLE, WA - In a time where some are reaffirming commitment to brick and mortar, some are implementing futuristic technology, and others are delving further into e-commerce, retail analysts and operators seem abuzz with whether change is in the air for retail.
Amazon has put its own spin on pushing cyber shopping to the forefront of the race: the online retailer has reportedly invited some of the biggest brands of all kinds to its headquarters to convince them to ship directly to its shoppers, according to Bloomberg.
"Times are changing," Amazon’s invitation reads, according to the report. "Amazon strongly believes that supply chains designed to serve the direct-to-consumer business have the power to bring improved customer experiences and global efficiency. To achieve this requires a major shift in thinking."
What would this mean for produce and all other providers? The entirety of how we approach packaging, according to the news source. Instead of packing product to catch the consumer’s attention, producers would likely be crafting boxes and containers more suitable for easy shipping: firmer, sturdier, and more efficient.
The food industry in particular, with cardboard and plastic packaging amongst the more popular choices, would be a significant candidate for big changes. But ours is a market e-commerce continues to seek a steadier foothold in, as Vice President of E-commerce for marketing firm The Mars Agency, told Bloomberg.
“Most of these people haven’t been interested in e-commerce because e-commerce has been such a small piece of their overall sales,” Burdick said. “But we’ve reached a tipping point. We’re at a time when companies are ready to start figuring this stuff out.”
And it is that vein in which Amazon is looking to persuade providers to jump aboard and make packaging and operations easier for it to add to its one-hour shipping to consumers.
The three-day event will include a tour of the retailer’s Seattle fulfillment center, as well as a presentation from Worldwide Consumer Chief Jeff Wilke. On the attendance list are executives from General Mills, Mondelez, and other packaged goods makers.
Jim Hertel, Managing Partner of Willard Bishop, compared the strategy to Costco and other club stores convincing brands to create bulk sizes sold at a discount more than two decades ago.
"There was a big perceived penalty for missing the boat, fear of missing out on growth," Hertel said. And, like those retailers, he stated Amazon would argue increased sales and even possible revival for struggling companies to encourage the changeover.
Will this latest move successfully convince key players in the food industry, produce and beyond, that e-commerce is retail’s future? We can't wait to find out.
WASHINGTON, DC – In a complaint filed on Jan. 21, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleged that Felda Vegetable Farms Inc. (Felda Vegetable), of Felda, FL, failed to make full payment promptly in the total amount of $232,347 to 6 sellers for multiple lots of produce in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a recent USDA press release, subsequent to the complaint being filed, USDA and Felda Vegetable entered into a consent decision and order finding that the company committed flagrant and repeated violations of the PACA. Felda Vegetable paid the produce sellers in full and paid a civil penalty in the amount of $15,500. Because Felda Vegetable has satisfied the terms of the consent decision and order, the company remains licensed under the PACA and this case is closed.
The PACA Division, which is part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Our experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
WENATCHEE, WA – While apple sales may have sulked this February, according to Stemilt’s latest Fruit Tracker™ Fast Facts video analysis, retailers still have room to boost their ring at the register. Sales of apples fell 5.4 percent when compared with February 2016, and, while apple volume was up slightly year-over-year, all regions except the East fell short of 2016 category performance.
“February is historically a strong month for apple sales,” said Brianna Shales, Communication Manager. “Retailers sold 59 pounds of apples more on average in February, but brought in $190 dollars less weekly than in February 2016. This year’s larger crop and fruit size is ripe with opportunities for promotion, especially on the bulk side.”
Bulk is the primary purchasing method for apples, and that remained true in 2017 with 59.1 percent of sales coming from bulk apples. 40.9 percent were sold in bags—predominately three and five pound varieties that made up 77.6 percent of dollar sales on bags.
Gala, Fuji, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp made up the top five apple varieties—with 28.2, 13.8, 12.3, 11.6, and 11.1 percent of sales, respectively, according to a press release. Gala was up a sizeable 5.2 percent year-over-year, while Honeycrisp sales grew by 2.6 percent from the year prior.
“The increase in February sales of Honeycrisp is a result of increased volume and season extension of this popular apple. It’s a trend we expect to continue to see happen in future years,” said Shales. “Club apples are an important part of the apple category, and there are still opportunities to promote them this spring. Our signature variety, Piñata®, will be available through May and we are seeing some of the best fruit of the year right now coming out of storage, with great color and dessert eating qualities.”
Retail prices were down for most of the top-selling club apple varieties in February 2017—with the exception of Jazz, Piñata®, Kiku Fuji, and Lady Alice varieties. The retail price for Lady Alice was up 16.2 percent while Piñata® was up 10.8 percent from February 2016, at $1.74 per pound. Meanwhile, average retail price for all apples in the U.S. fell from $1.74 per pound in February 2016 to $1.60 in February 2017.
Along with promotions for club apples, Stemilt recommends retailers run multi-variety bulk promotions on apples now to reignite the category. While apples accounted for an average of 6.8 percent of produce sales nationally in January 2017, that number dropped to 6.5 percent by February of this year.
Shales noted that one additional promotion could, in fact, spark both volume and sales of apples and prevent sales from slumping.
“Apples are an important part of the produce department all year long,” said Shales. “At Stemilt, we have a variety of merchandising options to help retailers capture more apple sales this spring. Bulk is a must, and we also recommend sparking the category by segmenting apples to each consumer group–Lil Snappers® for parents, Fresh Blenders™ for health nuts, and Apple Lover bags for those shoppers who love apples.”
For more on the state of the apple category and recommendations on how to boost sales, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
CORAL GABLES, FL – Growth is ever in the works for the team over at Del Monte Fresh Produce. As the company looks to invest further in an expanded U.S. footprint, Del Monte Fresh will be opening a new distribution center in Glasgow, Delaware, to boost its operations.
“The site’s location and proximity to our port operations makes it ideal for distributing Del Monte premium quality products that will be produced in this facility to our many key retail, foodservice, and convenience store clients in the northeast,” Dionysios Christou, Vice President of Marketing for Del Monte, stated in February, according to The Newark Post Online.
Expected to open late next year, the facility will include ripening rooms for bananas and avocados, in addition to refrigerated and dry warehouse space, loading docks, and office space. The new distribution center will also contain ample space for producing fresh cut fruit and protein salads.
The Newark Post Online reported that the future Del Monte Fresh facility was purchased by the company for $6.5 million from the Christina School District. Previously, the building was used as an 800-student middle school, and was also the home to AstroPower.
“We’re glad that Del Monte Fresh Produce chose Delaware as the strategic location to expand its operations,” Gov. John Carney said in a statement. “We’re very much looking forward to seeing the former site of AstroPower repurposed and come alive again, bringing with it new jobs to our state.”
Del Monte Fresh was approved for over $900,000 in incentives by The Delaware Economic Development Office. The company will receive a $259,000 performance grant to create around 30 jobs, with a 3 percent match up to $654,000 for qualified capital expenditures.
Where is Del Monte Fresh headed next? Keep up with AndNowUKnow to find out.
IRVINE, CA – A popular salad and snack in Hawaii, and a burgeoning food trend in the continental U.S., poke is fast becoming a staple. From supermarket foodservice, to fast casual and white tablecloth settings, poke is cropping up across the country, and the California Avocado Commission is offering support to curious retailers and foodservice professionals with on-trend recipes and serving suggestions.
The salad traditionally starts with a base of cubed seafood, and variations include increasingly popular versions incorporating fresh California avocados.
According to a California Avocado Commission press release, freshness is key for both poke and California avocados. Both depend on availability—poke on the freshness of its primary ingredients, and fresh California avocados on seasonality—and chefs and foodservice providers can rely on both to build diversity and deliciousness into their menus. The commission noted that poke can be a perfect vehicle for avocados, and the smooth texture of the fruit offers an ideal foil for fish tossed in soy sauce, green onions, and sesame oil.
The commission offers a variety of serving suggestions—including a vegetarian California Avocado and Mango Poke. Recipes include a Roasted Unagi with California Avocado Sushi, and a Salmon and Brown Rice Bowl with California Avocado Hollandaise, as well.
Visitors to the California Avocado Commission website can browse an entire database of on-trend recipes and menu solutions for all dining segments and dayparts, as well as finding helpful resources on nutrition, selection, storage, and handling.
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Retail excitement is building again this year, as the California table grape season quickly approaches. With growth across the category and partnerships to respond to increased retail demand for premium fruit from the Golden State, Anthony Vineyards is making strides to evolve its already popular portfolio.
With the season kick-off slated for May in Coachella, California, Sales Manager John Harley joins me to share the latest and greatest developments at Anthony Vineyards and what retailers can expect through the spring, summer, and fall.
“This year we have initiated a marketing and distribution agreement with International Fruit Genetics (IFG) to expand our offerings and strategically position the company to further diversify both our services and retail offerings,” John shares. “Under the agreement we can now sell and market IFG varieties with one of the company’s largest growers, Fabbri Ag Investments, located in Bakersfield, California.”
Fabbri Ag Investments has become one of the largest growers of IFG varieties. With farms that stretch from the Arvin area and south of Bakersfield, all the way through Ducor, California, IFG has spent years focusing on creating table grape varieties to fill unmet consumer demands and retail needs. This partnership will allow Anthony Vineyards to further solidify the company as a one-stop-shop for both conventional and organic table grape varieties.
This year, Anthony Vineyards will be marketing and distributing IFG’s conventional Sweet Sapphire®, Jack’s Salute®, Sweet Globe®, and Sweet Jubilee® varieties. On the table for next year are the Candy Dream® and Candy Hearts® to round out a full expansion of the company’s portfolio. All varieties present high-flavor profiles to respond to the retail demand for both quality and a better eating experience. The four new varieties for 2017 will be available during the middle to end of July and the first part of August, and will be harvested through October.
Here are some quick attributes of this year’s IFG varieties from Anthony Vineyards:
- Sweet Sapphire®–Harvested in late August, with medium to large bunch size, elongated tubular with dimpled end, and seedless. Presents a crisp, crunchy, sweet (brix 19-21) profile and well-balanced flavor.
- Jack’s Salute®–Harvested in mid-late September, with large bunch size, oval and elongated berry shape, and seedless. Presents a firm to crisp, sweet (brix 19 - 22), low acid profile with fruity and floral flavor.
- Sweet Globe®–Harvested in early September, with large bunch size, large round to oval berry shape, and seedless. Presents a crisp, snappy, sweet (brix 19 - 22), low acid profile and thin skin.
- Sweet Jubilee®–Harvested in Early August, with large bunch size, large oval berry shape, and seeded. Presents a crisp, sweet (brix 19 - 22) profile with firm to crisp texture.
“We are at the leading-edge of these IFG varieties as they have only been in the marketplace for a year or two at most,” John tells me. “From an Anthony Vineyards standpoint, these new varieties help us to complete the range of products that we can market and carry and provide to our customer base.”
It is an exciting time for Anthony Vineyards as this partnership on the conventional side of the category allows the company to continue to develop and invest in its organic program at its own ranches and operations.
“From a development standpoint, we have acreage available to us where we will now focus our organic grape investments,” John says. “Our overall goal is to increase our volume on a yearly basis to prevent potential challenges in the industry from weather and gaps in production and fill the growing demand for Anthony Vineyards grape varieties.”
Primed for growth across the company's portfolio, it is looking to be an exceptionally fruitful year for Anthony Vineyards.
MONROVIA, CA - As the buy-side continues to shake up market hubs, Trader Joe’s has announced new store openings for 2017 in both New York and New Jersey as it looks to push its presence on the east coast.
“We've consulted our maps and compass, and have found a terrific location for a store,” the company said in back-to-back announcements for two new stores in New York. “Our crew is working hard so we can open our doors in late 2017.”
The chain is also set to open a locally-anticipated Brooklyn location this year, according to a Fox 5 news report.
As for the Garden State, Trader Joe’s is set to open a new location in Hoboken next month.
This all comes on the heels of a grand re-opening in Towson, Maryland, of a 12,475-square-foot store that took place in mid-March.
While the news source reports that there is demand for yet another in the Queens area, there is no word yet on the retailer bringing operations there. It does look, however, that the California-born banner of 460+ stores is looking to grow its footprint in the eastern region.
As for how aggressive that plan is and what more is to come, AndNowUKnow will keep you up on the details as they come to be known.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) against Kodiak Fresh Produce LLC.
According to a recent USDA press release, the company, operating from Arizona, allegedly failed to make payment to 70 produce sellers in the amount of $4,473,519 from July 2015 through September 2016.
Kodiak Fresh Produce LLC will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - We here at AndNowUKnow love a good challenge, and we know all you out there in the produce industry do too. That’s why this month we’re taking up the April #ProduceChallenge from our friend Lori Taylor, The Produce Mom, herself!
So, what is the #ProduceChallenge? Put simply, it is a guide sent out each month by The Produce Mom, filled with seasonal produce, fun challenges, and positive encouragement, as well as tips, tricks, recipes, and facts that’ll help you and your family eat more fresh produce. What I personally love most about the #ProduceChallenge Calendar is just how interactive it is. Just click on any day of the calendar, each featuring a specially-themed produce item, for your fun fact or tip for the day.
Not at all a restrictive diet or a rigid plan that only serious healthy lifestylers can follow, the #ProduceChallenge plays well with all diets, the website explains. From gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, organic, conventional, and nut-free—this challenge does not force you to changing your current diet. Instead, it’s all about adding more produce!
“If there’s a produce item on the calendar that you can’t eat, simply replace it with another one you can,” The Produce Mom shares on her website. “As long as you’re eating fruits and veggies every day and trying new and different items, you’re doing it right!”
If you want to eat more fruits and vegetables, are tired of eating the same few fruits and vegetables week after week, and are looking for new and exciting ways to cook with fruits and vegetables, the #ProduceChallenge is probably for you! This week the theme is “Start Seeing The World Through Rose-Colored Glasses,” featuring a slew of beautiful red-hued produce items to stimulate your eyes and your appetite.
Think you’re ready to take up the competition for yourself? When you join the completely free program, you’ll receive a weekly email that contains family-friendly recipes, produce industry insights, and tips and tutorials that make eating more fruits and veggies easy.
Click here to learn more about The Produce Mom’s challenge and sign up for yourself. Happy eating!